Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match.
Slovakia sensationally top the Group A after the first two games. Northern Ireland are ahead, and this game may help the Slovakian side to make their lead more confident. They will keep fighting Germany to remain 1st in the group.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland looked quite poorly in September. They only managed to beat Luxembourg (3:1) because their opponents were down to ten men in the 66th minute. However, the Irish side had only 1.35 xG. In the game versus Germany (1:3), Northern Ireland had only 0.28 xG, surprisingly scoring a goal, and also having 2.61 xGA.
Slovakia
The current Slovakian line-up is very good. They play well defensively and they can create dangerous moments attacking. The game versus Germany proved it very well (2:0), as Slovakia had 1.28 xG and made 8 shots on goal with 30% ball possession. Lukaš Haraslin didn’t play that game. Currently, he’s ready to play and he even managed to score a goal in a Conference League game.
Northern Ireland vs Slovakia Prediction
The betting sites underrate Slovakia. However, after their match versus Germany it’s hard to believe that the Slovakian side will be an underdog. Northern Ireland are very unstable. It’s unlikely they can be a real problem for Slovakia.
